Spinning machines having hydraulically controlled ring rails



Jan. 21,1969 7 J, p URL R ETAL 3,422,614

SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS Filed June 19; 1967 Sheet 4 M4 as R i l SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS Filed June 19. 1967 J. DURLER ETAL Jan. 21, 1969 Sheet Jan. 21, 1969 SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS J. DURLER ETAL 3,422,614

Sheet 3 of 5 17b 17a 17a 1: 18 251 gal 22 41 A f Y J. 2 47 5 24 Jan. 21 1969 J. DURLER ETAL 3,422,614

SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS Filed June 19, 1967 Sheet 4 01' 5 Jan. 21, 1969 DURLER L I 3,422,614

SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS Filed June 19, 1967 Sheet 5 of 5 United States Patent 3,422,614 SPINNING MACHINES HAVING HYDRAULICALLY CONTROLLED RING RAILS Jacques Diirler, Geneva, Switzerland, and Frdric Zoller, Viry, Haute-Savoie, France, assignors to Hispano Suiza (Snisse) S.A., Geneva, Switzerland Filed June 19, 1967, Ser. No. 646,936 Claims priority, application Luxembourg, June 21, 1966, 51,373 U.S. CI. 5799 14 Claims Int. Cl. D01h 13/00; B6511 1/02 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In a spinning machine where the ring rail is controlled by a hydraulic motor the working chamber of which is fed with liquid from a constant flow hydraulic pump the delivery conduit of which is connected with a discharge conduit of a cross-section permitting a flow rate therethrough greater than the delivery flow rate of said pump, a control valve device permits of adjusting the flow rate through said discharge conduit and therefore of determining through said hydraulic motor the displacements of said ring rail.

The present invention relates to spinning machines, and in particular to spinning frames, twisting frames, etc., and more especially to those where the textile yarn is wound in conical layers, such spinning machines including a ring rail the vertical reciprocating movement of which is hydraulically controlled.

It has already been suggested, in order to control the vertical movements of the ring rail of such a machine to provide a single acting volume variation responsive hydraulic motor the working chamber of which may be connected, through a control distributing valve, either with the delivery of a continuous action hydraulic pump in order to produce an upward displacement of the ring rail, or with a discharge conduit in order to permit a downward movement of said ring rail under the eifect of gravity.

Such a hydraulic control device had the following drawbacks, due to the reversals in the direction of flow through the control distributing valve when the movement of the ring rail is to be reversed:

First it gave rise to the formation, in the control distributing valve, of emulsions capable of imparing the good operation of the control device and in particular, its precision.

Furthermore it had relatively great times of response on every reversal of the movement of the ring rail.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate these drawbacks.

The machine with which this invention is concerned comprises, in order to provide for the upward movements of the ring rail, at least one single acting volume variation responsive hydraulic motor fed with transmission liquid from a continuous action hydraulic pump. According to the present invention, this machine comprises, on the one hand, a discharge conduit connected with the delivery of said pump and having a cross-section permitting a flow rate therethrough higher than the delivery flow rate of the pump, and, on the other hand, a control valve device mounted in said discharge conduit and adapted to control the liquid fiow rate through said discharge con duit and, therefore, the flow rate to or from said hydraulic motor, whereby said valve device, while permitting a controlled feed to, or discharge from, the hydraulic motor, is flown by a liquid stream the flow rate of which depends upon the position of this valve device but the direction of which is always the same.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings given merely by way of example and in which,

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the formation of cops in a spinning machine according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the essential elements of the ring rail hydraulic control device of such a machine;

FIGS. 3 to 7 inclusive diagrammatically show said control device in five different positions of the parts thereof.

In what follows it will be supposed that, for the obtainment of the cops, it is necessary to produce a succession of different movement of the ring rail.

These movements are diagrammatically illustrated by FIG. 1, where time t is plotted in abscissas whereas the ordinates represent the successive heights h of the ring rail. These movements are as follows, the ring rail being supposed to be initially in its lowest position PMB, which position it occupies after the cops have been formed:

A quick upward movement M brings the ring rail substantially to a position at mid-height of its total stroke, this upward movement being adapted to stretch the yarns from the feed devices.

This upward movement is followed by a quick downward movement M stretching the yarns and bringing the ring rail into the region (for instance at a level P slightly above the lowermost level PMB) where is to be performed the formation of the rounded base of the cops.

The ring rail is then given a succession of upward and downward movements M, with a vertical offsetting between two successive movements in order to form the cops by conical layers.

Once the cop is finished the ring rail is given a quick upward movement M, of small amplitude in order to permit the winding at a constant height, of some turns of the yarn forming a reserve at the upper end of the cop.

Finally the ring rail is given a quick downward movement M to its lowermost position PMB, at which level are formed, at the base of the cop, some turns of the yarn.

Concerning now the spinning frame which is to permit of making cops as above mentioned it is of suitable construction and in particular as shown by FIG. 2.

The machine comprises spindles 2 actuated by a shaft 3 driven by the main motor 4.

Driving shaft 3 further drives delivery cylinders 5 for feeding the material to be spun to spindles 2, through a suitable positive transmission system the elements of which are designated by the same reference numeral 6.

In order to form the cops 1 on spindles 2, there is provided a ring rail 7 mounted in vertical guides (not shown) and connected, through belts 8, to one end of a common pulling belt 9 the other end of which is fixed to a drum carried by a shaft 11 hereinafter called ring rail control shaft.

To cause said shaft 11 to rotate in the direction corresponding to an upward movement of ring rail 7 we provide one and preferably two pulling belts 12 one end of which is secured to a fixed anchoring point 13 and the other end of which is secured to a drum 14 angularly keyed on control shaft 11, said two belts 12 passing round return Wheels 15 carried by a common shaft 16 parallel to the above mentioned shaft 11 and adapted to be moved more or less away from shaft 11 under the action of a control device which will be more explicitly referred to hereinafter.

The control means intended to impart upward and downward displacements to ring rail 7 must be arranged to permit of giving shaft 16 movements away from control shaft 11 (upward movement of the ring rail), the movements towards said shaft 11 (downward displacement of ring rail 7) then taking place at least chiefly under the effect of the weight of ring rail 7.

Said control means are of the hydraulic type and include a single acting volume variation responsive hydraulic motor 17, the cylinder of which is at right angles to shaft 16. The fixed cylinder of said hydraulic motor 17 advantageously constitutes the support of the anchoring points 13 of pulling belts 12 and the movable portion of said motor consists of a piston 17a and a piston rod 17b secured to said shaft 16 as shown by FIG. 3.

When pressure is developed in the working chamber 170 of the hydraulic motor it causes shaft 16 to be moved away from the control shaft 11 of ring rail 7 and therefore produces an upward displacement of said ring rail.

On the contrary when said working chamber 170 is discharged it permits ring rail 7 to move downwardly.

Feed of liquid under pressure into the working chamher 170 of hydraulic motor 17 and discharge of liquid therefrom take place through the same distribution conduit 18, which is provided with adjustable valve means 19, for adjusting the upward and downward speeds of movement of ring rail 7, for instance in accordance with the rate of delivery of the material to be spun to the spindles 2 of the frame.

Now the hydraulic control system which is to permit of raising the pressure in working chamber 17c or of discharging liquid from this chamber comprises a hydraulic pump 20 of the continuous flow type (for instance a motor driven pump of this kind) sucking in transmission liquid from a tank 21 to which the liquid is fed back through a discharge conduit 22.

According to the main feature of our invention, in order to permit the feed of liquid to working chamber 17c or the discharge of liquid from this chamber, discharge conduit 22, connected with the delivery conduit 23 of hydraulic pump 20, is given a cross-section permitting a liquid flow rate therethrough higher than the delivery flow rate of pump 20 and there is provided, in said discharge conduit 22, a control valve 24 for adjusting the flow rate of the liquid passing through discharge conduit 22.

It will be understood that the piston 17a of hydraulic motor 17 is in balanced position for a given degree of opening of the active element of control valve device 24, that said piston 17a will be pushed upwardly by liquid under pressure fed through conduit 18 for smaller degrees of opening of control Valve device 24 and that, on the contrary, for greater degrees of opening of valve device 24, piston 17a will be moved downwardly by the effect of gravity and cause liquid to be discharged through conduit 18.

Thus, valve device 24 permits, not only of reversing the direction of displacement of piston 17a (and of ring rail 7) but also of adjusting the speed of the upward and downward movements of the ring rail, the upward movement of said ring rail being the faster as valve device 24 is nearer to its maximum closing position, and the downward movements of said ring rail being the faster as said valve device 24 is nearer to its fully opened position.

Thus we produce in the control circuit of hydraulic motor 17 a permanent fiow through discharge conduit 22, this flow being controlled by valve device 24 through which a liquid stream is flowing always in the same direction.

Thus we avoid any reversing of the direction of fiow through valve device 24 so that the risks of emulsion formation are considerably reduced and the times of response of the control system are shortened.

Concerning now the connections of hydraulic motor 17 and discharge conduit 22 respectively.v with the delivery conduit 23 of pump 20, they are advantageously made in such manner that conduit 18 serving to the feed to, and the discharge from, hydraulic motor 17 and discharge conduit 22 are connected in shunt with the delivery conduit 23 of pump 20.

Valve device 24 is advantageously controlled so that the movable part 24:: of valve 24 is actuated by a mechanism responsive to the difference that may exist between the actual position of ring rail 7 and the theoretical position where said ring rail should be located at the time that is considered so as to comply with the law of formation of the cops that is imposed. Such a difference actuates said movablep art 24a of valve device 24 in such manner as to reduce to zero the difference between the actual position and the theoretical position of the ring rail.

In other words the movable part 240 of valve device 24 will behave as follows:

It will remain stationary if the actual instantaneous position of the ring rail coincides with the desired theoretical position thereof at the time that is considered.

Movable part 24a will be moved in the direction opening the communication controlled by valve device 24 if the actual position of ring rail 7 is above its theoretical position.

Said part 24a will be moved in the direction closing the communication controlled by valve device 24 if the actual position of ring rail 7 is below its theoretical position.

For practical purposes the control device is made as follows:

The movable part 24a of valve device 24 is subjected to the action of a spring 25 urging said movable part 24a in the direction Where it opens more and more the cross-section of the passage through said valve device 24.

Said movable part 24a is connected to the axis of a return pulley 26 around which passes a belt 27a27b.

Belt portion 27a is subjected to the action of first mechanical pulling means capable of producing a translatory movement of belt portions 27a and 27b of an amplitude corresponding to the theoretical position that should be occupied by ring rail 7.

Belt portion 27b is subjected to the action of second mechanical pulling means capable of producing a translatory displacement of belt portions 27a and 27b in a direction opposed to the preceding one and with an amplitude corresponding to the actual position of ring rail 7.

Said first and second pulling means are therefore arranged in such manner that, when the actual position of ring rail 7 coincides with its theoretical position, both of the translatory displacements imparted to belt portions 27a and 27b by said first and second mechanical pulling means are equal in absolute value but of opposed directions and therefore neutralize each other, whereby the axis of return pulley 26 remains stationary. On the contrary, any difference (either positive or negative) between said theoretical and actual positions produces a variation of the total length of belt portions 27a and 27b and causes a displacement of the axis of pulley 26 and of said movable part 2411 until the difference is compensated for.

The second mechanical pulling means responsive to the actual position of ring rail 7 for controlling belt 27a- 27b comprise a drum 32 to which is fixed the end of belt portion 27b, said drum being fixed on the shaft 11 which drives ring rail 7.

The first mechanical pulling means responsive to the theoretical position of ring rail 7 for controlling belt 27a-27b comprise a cam 37 which cooperates With the frame 34 of a belt stretching device in which is journalled a pulley 33 around which belt portion 27b passes, between return pulley 26 and drum 32.

Said belt stretching device frame 34 is subjected to the action of a spring 35 bearing against a fixed abutment 36 (the strength of said spring 35 being greater than that of spring 25). The free end of belt portion 27a is secured to the peripher of a drum 28 driven in rotation at reduced speed (through a friction clutch not illustrated by the drawings) by transmission system 6 connected with the yarn delivery cylinders 5, this drum 28 materializing the vertical successive movements to be imparted to ring rail 7 to ensure the formation of superposed conical layers of yarn on the cops.

Drum 28 is driven from transmission system 6 through a worm 29 and a worm wheel 30 and a gearing down device 31. Cam 37 is driven from the means 6 for driving delivery cylinders 5 through transmission gears 38 driven from the shaft for driving drum 28.

It will be understood that the combined actions of cam 37 and drum 28 will materialize the theoretical reciprocating movements of ring rail 7 whereas the action of drum 32 will materialize the actual position of said ring rail 7.

Advantageously, as shown, control valve 24 includes a fixed casing and a movable part 24a in the form of a piston. Said piston 24a leaves constantly open an orifice 24b communicating with the portion of discharge conduit 22 located upstream of valve device 24. Piston 24a controls an orifice 24c communicating with the portion of discharge conduit 22 located downstream of valve device 24.

Such a control device has the advantage of easily accommodating itself to the use of blocking or short-circuiting apparatus which permit of obtaining quick upward or downward displacements of the ring rail.

Furthermore, it is possible to combine with the ring rail hydraulic control circuit, a hydraulic motor 39, capable, when it is placed under pressure, of releasing a brake 1 (FIG. 2) capable of stopping the machine when liquid pressure is applied to hydraulic motor 39.

Advantageously the hydraulic control system above described may further include the following auxiliary apparatus shown by FIGS. 3 to 7, which are intended to permit of producing cops as indicated diagrammatically by FIG. 1.

Said auxiliary apparatus are the following ones:

A two-way electromagnetic valve 40 inserted in discharge conduit 22 between the feed conduit 18 of hydraulic motor 17 and valve device 24, said valve 40 being adapted, when not energized, to stop discharge conduit 22 and, on the contrary, when energized, to open said conduit 22;

A two-way electromagnetic valve 41 inserted in a conduit 42 extending between the delivery conduit 23 of pump 20 and the portion of discharge conduit 22 located downstream of valve device 24, said valve 41 being arranged, when energized, to open conduit 42 and, when not energized, to stop this conduit 42;

A three-way electromagnetic valve 43 adapted to place the feed conduit 44 of brake control hydraulic motor 39 in communication either, when said valve 43 is energized, with the pump delivery conduit 23 through a check valve 45, or when said valve 43 is not energized, with a discharge conduit 44a through which hydraulic motor 39 can discharge its liquid into tank 21;

A discharge valve 46 inserted in a conduit 47 extending between the delivery conduit 23 of pump 20 and discharge conduit 22, said valve 46 being adjusted to open in case of overpressure in the delivery of said pump;

And a check valve 48 disposed in the delivery conduit 23 of pump 20.

We will now describe the operation of such a hydraulic device with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7 where the thick lines represent the portions of the hydraulic circuit that are active in each of the cases illustrated by said figures, respectively.

FIG. 3 corresponds to the upward movement M of FIG. 1, valve 43 being energized so that the machine brake is released, whereas valve 40 is not energized so that discharge conduit 22 is stopped. Valve 41 is not energized so that conduit 42 is stopped. \In these conditions, hydraulic motor 17 is fed with all the liquid delivered by pump 20 and ring rail 7 moves quickly in the upward direction until valve 40 is again energized.

FIG. 4 corresponds to the downward movement M of FIG. 1. Valve 43 is still energized. Valve 40 is energized so that discharge conduit 22- and valve device 24 are opened. Valve 41 is not energized. In these conditions a quick downward movement of ring rail 7 takes place until the piston 24a of valve device 24 comes into its balanced position which corresponds to the height P of the ring rail in view of the fact that drum 28 had been returned to its zero position at the end of the preceding cycle of operation (this return to zero being made possible by the provision of the friction clutch serving to the drive of said drum 28).

FIG. 5 corresponds to the movement M of FIG. 1, through which the cops are formed with identical conical layers, the main motor 4 having started at the beginning of movement M This phase corresponds to the formation of the cops, valves 40 and 43 being energized whereas valve 41 is not energized. Valve device 24 ensures at any time a correct height of ring rail 7.

FIG. 6 corresponds to the movement M; of FIG. 1. Valve 43 is still energized. Valve 40 is no longer energized so that discharge conduit 22 is stopped. Valve 41 is not energized so that conduit 42 is stopped. In these conditions, hydraulic motor 17 receives the whole of the liquid delivered by pump 20 and, when the ring rail reaches its top position, discharge valve 46 opens, thus permitting the winding at constant height of the portions of the yarn that are to form the reserve of the cops during the end of movement M Finally, FIG. 7 corresponds to the movement M of FIG. 1. Valve 43 is still energized. Valve 40 is not energized. On the contrary, valve 41 is energized so as to permit the flow of liquid through conduit 22 and a quick discharge of the liquid from hydraulic motor 17. Ring rail 7 then moves down to its lowermost position PMB and turns of yarn are wound at the base of the cop. During the quick downward movement of the ring rail to a position indicated by point S in FIG. 1 motor 4 is stopped (for instance by means of a switch 49 controlled by a cam 49a carried by control shaft 11 as shown by FIG. 2) and valve 43 ceases to be energized thus permitting liquid to be discharged from hydraulic motor 39 through conduit 44a, which brings brake F into action, thus stopping the machine.

In a general manner, while we have disclosed what we deem to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be well understood that we do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the present invention as comprehended Within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. A spinning machine for making cops of yarn which comprises, in combination,

a fixed frame,

a row of spinning spindles for carrying said cops,

carried by said frame,

a ring rail reciprocable along said spinning spindles to form said cops thereon,

a single acting volume variation responsive hydraulic motor operatively connected with said ring rail for moving it, said hydraulic motor having a variable volume chamber,

a constant flow hydraulic pump,

a delivery conduit for said pump communicating with said hydraulic motor variable volume chamber,

a discharge conduit connected with said hydraulic motor variable volume chamber,

a control valve device in said discharge conduit including a movable part for adjusting the liquid flow rate through said discharge conduit within a range extending from a value below said pump delivery flow rate to a value above said pump delivery flow rate, and

conduit means between the working chamber of said hydraulic motor and said discharge conduit for the flow of liquid from said working chamber,

the cross-section of said discharge conduit being greater than that necessary for the delivery of liquid from said pump,

whereby the direction of flow of liquid through said discharge conduit is always in the same direction.

2. A spinning machine according to claim 1 wherein there is a single communication conduit leading to the working chamber of said hydraulic motor for the feed of liquid from said pump delivery conduit to said work ing chamber, said spinning machine further comprising adjustable valve means in said communication conduit for varying the liquid flow rate conditions therethrough.

3. A spinning machine according to claim 1 wherein said discharge conduit is connected with said hydraulic motor variable volume chamber exclusively through said conduit means so that a portion of the delivery from said pump passes to said control valve device without flowing through said hydraulic motor variable volume chamber.

4. A spinning machine according to claim 3 which further comprises a two-way electromagnetic valve disposed in said discharge conduit upstream of said control valve device, said electromagnetic valve being adapted, when it is not energized, to stop said discharge conduit and when it is energized, to open said discharge conduit.

5. A spinning machine according to claim 3 which further comprises an intermediate conduit connecting said pump delivery conduit with the portion of said discharge conduit located downstream of said control valve device,

a two-way electromagnetic valve in said intermediate conduit adapted, when it is energized, to open the conduit in which it is mounted and, when it is not energized, to stop said conduit.

6. A spinning machine according to claim 3 provided with a brake for said machine and a hydraulic motor adapted, when fed with liquid under pressure, to release said brake, which machine further comprises,

a three-way electromagnetic valve having three orifices,

one of said orifices being an inlet orifice,

an inlet conduit extending between said pump delivery conduit and said three-way electromagnetic valve inlet orifice,

a check valve in said last mentioned inlet conduit opening toward said electromagnetic valve inlet orifice,

one of the two other orifices of said three-way valve being a discharge outlet orifice,

the third of said three orifices being connected with said last mentioned hydraulic motor.

7. A spinning machine according to claim 1 further comprising means for making said control valve device movable part responsive to the difference at any time between the theoretical value of the position of said ring rail with respect to the machine fixed frame corresponding to a given formation of the cops, and the actual value of said position, in such manner that said last mentioned means constantly tend to restore siad control device movable part into the position where said difference is equal to zero.

8. A spinning machine according to claim 1 further comprising resilient return means for urging said control valve device movable part in the direction for which the cross-section of said discharge conduit is increasing,

a pulley having its axis fixed to said control valve device movable part,

a flexible belt passing round the periphery of said pulley and forming two parallel belt portions located on opposed sides of said pulley,

first means for tending to impart to said belt portions, in one direction, a displacement of an amplitude corresponding to the theoretical position of said ring rail with respect to said machine fixed frame, and

second means for tending to impart to said belt portions, in the opposed direction, a displacement oi an amplitude corresponding to the actual position of said ring rail with respect to said machine fixed frame,

whereby, when said actual position coincides with said theoretical position, said first and second means neutralize each other whereas when there is a difference between said actual and said theoretical positions, said control valve device movable part is displaced by said belt to restore coincidence between said actual and theoretical positions,

9. A spinning machine according to claim 8 including means for delivering yarn to said spindles,

wherein said first means include a cam, responsive to the theoretical reciprocating movements of said ring rail connected with one of said belt portions for pulling it,

a drum, journalled in said machine frame, to which the end of the other of said belt portions is secured, and

means operative by said yarn delivering means for rotating said last mentioned drum.

10. A spinning machine according to claim 9 wherein said second means include a shaft operatively connected with said ring rail for actuating it with a reciprocating movement along said spinning spindles, and

a drum secured to said shaft and to which the end of said first mentioned belt portion is secured.

11. A spinning machine according to claim 8 including means for delivering yarn to said spindles,

wherein said first means include a cam responsive to the theoretical reciprocating movements of said ring rail,

a belt stretching frame slidable in the machine frame and bearing upon said cam,

a pulley journalled in said belt stretching frame and around which one of said belt portions passes means for resiliently urging said belt stretching frame in the direction that stretches said belt,

a drum, journalled in said machine frame, to which the end of the other of said belt portions is secured, and

means operative by said yarn delivering means for rotating said last mentioned drum,

said second means including a shaft operatively connected with said ring rail for actuating it with a reciprocating movement along said spinning spindles, and

a drum secured to said shaft and to which the end of said first mentioned belt portion is secured.

12. A spinning machine according to claim 11 wherein said cam is operatively connected with said means for delivering yarn to said spindles.

13. A spinning machine according to claim 1 which further comprises an emergency discharge conduit starting from said delivery conduit and an emergency discharge check valve in said emergency discharge conduit, adapted to open in case of overpressure at the delivery of said pump.

14. A spinning machine according to claim 1 which further comprises a check valve mounted in said delivery conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,130,930 4/1964 Miller 5799 XR l0 Graf 57-99 Joy; 57-98 X-R Harrison 57-99 XR Sagehomme et a1. 57-99 XR U.S. Cl. X.R. 

